Monday, February 18, 2008

Stephen Seymour's Killer was a "Good Shot"

Photo of Earl "Steve" Seymour: CTV News

"He was a good shot." That's what one Downtown Eastsider said about Matthew Ryan Wall, who has just been charged with first degree murder in the shooting death of Earl Stephen Seymour. To shoot a moving target with a handgun and manage to get several bullets into the guy's head, you have to be a good shot, explained the Downtown Eastsider who has practiced using handguns.

Wall, 26, is known to police as a drug dealer on the Downtown Eastside. He was arrested, according to CKNW radio, in a "rooming house" on Cambie St. That could explain why there was such a strong police presence around the Cambie Hotel & Hostel just after the shooting.

Any lawyer representing Wall will be banging his head against a wall. How do you help a client who walked up to a minivan near a busy corner and said "The war is on", then started shooting a man in front of a woman sitting in the front seat?

Not that people are feeling sorry for Seymour. One long time Downtown Eastsider said, "He got what he deserved." According to the Vancouver Sun today, Seymour had been one of the kingpins in a drug dealing operation based in the Station Inn on Cambie. The operation involved the sale of crack cocaine from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., pulling in an estimated $300,000 per month. The ChronicleHerald in Halifax put it this way: "For five years starting in the late 1990s, Mr. Seymour ran a gang that sold crack on Vancouver’s east side. The operation intimidated rivals with gunfire and beatings."

But CTV reporters had no difficulty finding people on the streets of the Downtown Eastside who had good memories of Seymour. On last night's news, an aboriginal man who had the gaunt look of an addict said he had known Seymour's ex wife; Seymour had taken a liking to him and would hand him "a five here, a ten here." You have to read between the lines though: that guy may have been a good customer on welfare cheque day. All of the comments from Downtown Eastsiders aired on CTV about Seymour were positive; people remembered him as a likeable guy.

Steve Seymour was not the first member of his family to be gunned down though. In Dec. 2005, Ken and Don Seymour, cousins with whom Steve Seymour and his brother Cliff Seymour had run the West Coast cocaine ring, were gunned down. The shootings occurred in 'the Hub', a run down neighbourhood of Glace Bay, the ChronicleHerald reported. Ken Seymour died and Don Seymour survived with serious damage to his liver and other organs. Both had done six years in prison for their roles in the West Coast cocaine ring. The shootings were over a drug debt. The shooter, a fellow associate of the Hell's Angels, was recently sentenced to 15 years.

Some of Steve Seymour's relatives have insisted in internet comments that he was turning his life around since being sentenced in 2001 to six years and four months for cocaine trafficking. When he was sentenced, his lawyer Glen Orris told the judge that he wanted to get a regular job to support his four children, all under the age of six at the time. But there was no sign of that regular job when a CTV reporter asked a Downtown Eastsider, two days after the shooting, what Seymour did on the Downtown Eastside: "I'm not at liberty to say," was the response.

One woman with the hollowed out cheeks of an addict, told CTV that the shooting had left her feeling that you have to be careful what you say to people because you can never tell how they're going to react.

My guess? Wall will end up being convicted of second degree and will be eligible for parole after ten, since the killing took place in the context of the drug trafficking world. But you never know. Judges are under pressure now to take seriously these shoot 'em ups on Vancouver streets. The man who shot Lee Matasi just a few blocks away had no record of criminal involvement but didn't get off easy. When the judge sentenced him, just the day before Steve Seymour was shot, he told him he would not be eligible for parole for 16 years.

44 comments:

It turns out that I have been way too critical of this poor fellow. I now understand that he was a high school drop-out who made good, made millions as a dope-dealer. And all this time I thought dropping out of high school was a bad thing for a guy's career hopes. Silly me. And he was also an uncle. Miracles never cease.

"Man slain on downtown street had lengthy record"

Chantal Eustace, Vancouver Sun

Published: Monday, February 18, 2008

A man shot dead in his minivan on a downtown street had a long history of crime dating back to his teens when he first began selling drugs in Nova Scotia.

Earl Stephen Seymour, 40, was killed shortly after 6:30 p.m. Friday in the 300 block of Carrall Street at Hastings Street, not far from where his gang had operated a $300,000-per-month crack cocaine operation that began in the mid-'90s. Police said his death appeared to be a targeted hit.

Seymour was sentenced to more than six years in prison in 2001 after he pleaded guilty to cocaine trafficking and possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking.

He had been charged with 21 counts, including being a member of a crime organization, but the other charges were stayed by Crown.

As part of Seymour's plea agreement, he forfeited $740,000 worth of assets purchased with the proceeds of crime, including his home, two Harley-Davidson motorcycles and a Corvette.

At that time, Seymour was also sentenced to a concurrent three-year term for firebombing the home of the 90-year-old grandmother of a Nova Scotia police officer in 2000.

According to a statement of facts filed in court, Seymour had been angry after police raided his Nova Scotia home on May 18, 2000, forcing some members of his family to lie on the floor.

In retaliation, he directed two men to lob two Molotov cocktails through the window of the home of Audrey and Norris Dowe of Glace Bay, N.S. -- relatives of a police officer who had been involved in the search of the Seymour residence.

The court was also told that Seymour and his brother Cliff first began selling cocaine in Vancouver in 1995 before switching to crack cocaine in 1997. The base of their operations was the Stadium Inn hotel on Cambie, where their dealers worked between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. each day. Seymour's lawyer, Glen Orris, told the court that his client grew up in Nova Scotia under difficult circumstances as one of 11 children. His father abandoned the family when Seymour was five and Seymour took to selling drugs to supplement his income after dropping out of school at 15, Orris said.****

Now that I see how much he's done for the world I think I might send Libby Davies a letter asking her to organize a memorial for him in order that we never forget all the opportunities he's given Libby to "support" drug addicted prostitutes. Yeah, Steve and Libbie, two pillars of our society.

I dunno what relivance any of this garbage your speaking of has to do with the murder of my uncle, but it is all unexceptable! My uncles past is his past, and his future is now in the hands of god, and he should be able to rest peacefully.! My uncle was a great man and he does not deserve his name to be drug into the dirt, nor does my family need to read this crap at such a diffucult time. My uncle did his crime and he did his time, and changed his life into being a better person, though he needed not to change for anyone he did for his children. The way my uncle will be remembered is is a GREAT father,son,brother,Uncle and an amazing human being. Its easy for people who did not know him to pass judgement, so its better left for those who did know him to tell the stories about him...THE TRUTH!!! We are griveing our beloved Steve and ask at this time you hold off on your bogus reports, as our family does not deserve our family name drug through the dirt. People make mistakes and people pay for those mistakes and my uncle did, he will not pay for his past in his after life and neither will his family! R.I.P Uncle Steve!

im goign to make this short what you guys are saying is makeing me sick, running steves's name into the ground , saying his life ment nothing as he didnt finish school, oh im sure that makes him a bad person I THINK NOT! rember god dose not juged he loves, i know steve was graced with god's love as he enteren the kingdom of heven and im sure god never asked to see his hight school diploma to get it lol and talking about his family like really dose that make your day go better maybe you should see where your life is at lol. i have said what needed to be said steve i pray for you and yours!

Its not about what the sun had to say, though that is upsetting it is the ignornat comments you make about a great man whom you did not know, and the person writting for the sun just so happens to be a complete idiot any how!, but anyways whjats upsetting is your comments... "It turns out that I have been way too critical of this poor fellow. I now understand that he was a high school drop-out who made good, made millions as a dope-dealer. And all this time I thought dropping out of high school was a bad thing for a guy's career hopes. Silly me. And he was also an uncle. Miracles never cease." What the heck kind of garbage is that and what is it that you ment by that, Im dying to know??. As well your other comment"Now that I see how much he's done for the world I think I might send Libby Davies a letter asking her to organize a memorial for him in order that we never forget all the opportunities he's given Libby to "support" drug addicted prostitutes. Yeah, Steve and Libbie, two pillars of our society."You complete ignorance to this situation is what pisses me off here, for someone who is suppose to be a school teacher I would think you could read and comprehend a little more then what im seeing. but what is the basis of your comments?.

helloihave been reading all this media hipe.my one true question is ...has anyone ever stopped and thoufght about stevie's mother and what this has done to ehr and still is.this week alone she was rushed to the hospital twice.her heart is way out in left field.i'm steve's sister Patricia.i know steve was no angel and i hated what he was involved in.but we couldn't control it.he was an adult and made his own choices.the family tryed to help him with little sucess.but no-one in this wrld deserves to die the way he did.mr. wall your a coward.they when you hurt smeone it comes back ten times foe.as a family it has been heart wrenching and it's ripping the heart out of my mother.put you-self in her shoes.his past is his past ,,he has to meet his maker in heaven..because he;'s already been to hell.and healways gave to the less fortunate because he knew as a child what it was like to have nothing .whether hes a school drop out or not he's still a human being.i know in time this will heal but for now it's a sad ,sad story.the papers have a story to write it's true but my mother needs to mourne in peace..please have some respect.i can only wish that you knew the real steve that we all knew and loved.steve told me one day when we were on the east coast that they won't let him out of the organized crime ..the only way out is 6ft under.and so he knew.while you folks are judging take a good look into your own closets ,we all have skeletons in there.live and let live..love and be loved.the world is full of thousands of stevies.don't judge them try to help them .sometimes all we need is an extended hand.just stop and think if you had to tell your mother somethingof this nature,,how would she feel? how would you feel. i'll always love you stevie..rest in peace,knowing your free of it all. thank you loreen for being there with him .he died knowing that he was with someone that loved him.

i'll sign this in honor of my siblings and my mother.i know the pain and heartache they are going through right now.

I came to know Steve in the last year. He made no excuses for what he'd done in the past and admitted to everything. He appeared honest and forthright about everything. He knew very well about how violent his past had been and the impact it had had on people. His desire to change had everthing to do with his children and his desire to be with them. He spoke of them often and he always seemed proud of them, not for anything they'd done, but just for being his kids. He had every desire to straigthen himself out. He was looking forward to getting on with his life. He was, at this stage of his life, honest and well liked by everyone that he came in contact with. In spite of his past, and maybe because of it, he was a wonderful person. I wouldn't expect anyone to know this, given what he's done or what's written about him, but, as you so often hear, you had to know him and know where he presently was in his life. He was a very pleasant and likeable guy who was trying to do good.

I have been reading all this media coverage, and I think it is just obscene how people are crushing this mans name and his family's name into the ground. I agree that perhaps he did not have the best lifestyle at one point in time of his life, but who are we to judge, as his sister has mentioned everyone has skeletons in there closet, and his neice mentioned he had payed for his past mistakes in life why should he or his family pay for them now. This poor man had his life taken away, and his family his mother his father his siblings his neices and nephews and especially his children have to cope with this why should it be at this point in time that his past is rubbed into their faces as if it is there fault that this happened. I think the comments made here are crude to this man and his family by you Dag, and this other anonymous person. I think that no matter what lifestyle this man led prior to his death he is in the hands of the lord and his family needs justice so that they can be at peace like Steve. I also must say that perhaps at one time he may have sold this so called poison, but im sure he never forced anyone to purchase it. People are entitled to make mistakes and he was punished for his. As steve's sister mentioned the world is full of stevies do not judge them but try to help them. No one should be passing judgement on this man or his family, because if the real problem layed upon what he did, we would be taking his sisters advice and helping those stevies whom are left in the world to prevent further crime from spreading. Allow his family to come to terms with the loss of there loved one and not publicize this man for something he clearly was not. I think as his neice said it is best left for the people who knew him to tell their stories about Steve, and everything I have read from them seems to be that this was a good man and person. This poor family has suffered a tramendous loss, and for this obsanity to be written about him at his time of passing is just distasteful, just comes to show what kind of people we are compared to this poor family who just wants there loved one to rest peacfully and have justice brought upon the man who took them from him.My heart and prayers go out to Steve's family and may you be able to find justice in this tragedy.Angel10 and Patricia I am truly sorry and saddened for you loss. As well My deepest sympothys go out to Steve's mother who is clearly beside herslef in this situation. I only ask people for the sake of this family to keep negative comments amoungst your self and show Steve's grieving mother some respect instead of taking away her sons. Steve,may you be with your family during their time of mourning and may you shine down on them and allow them to feel your prescence.

I know the family is greiving as any family does.. but lets face it this man was a drug dealer.. and how would the family feel if they knew the drugs he sold killed some teenage kid.. how would that kids mother feel.. no one deserves to die the way this man did .. but you do the crime you pay the time.. someone stated that he couldnt get out unless he was 6 ft under .. well that is a pile of bull there is protection out there.. he could got out he was an adult and he made his choices in live .. he knew what could or would happen to him and it did .. I do feel sorry that his mother has to go through this .. but her son was the one that made this happen .. he was the one that chose a life style that could get him killed .. no matter how nice he was and I am sure he was a nice guy he was a caper how could he not be .. but he still choose the life style..

but keep in mind there is alot of people out there hooked on drugs and this man help with that .. so think of the mothers of teenage children that get a call there son or daughter is dead because of drugs..

Oh my... there are alot of judgemental people amongst us. I understand that everyone is entitled to their opinion, however to have the decency to respect those left behind...where'd that go? Yes, Stevie was a bad man..at one time in his life, however we have read that he was trying to change his life. What more could anyone do?...Try. My deepest Sympathies to Trish and her Family. As you know Trish, he's in a much better place now away from all the horrors this world has to offer so many less fortunate than others. Be there for your mom. She needs your Strenght. He'll forever be watching and hopefully guiding his children away from the life that was chosen for him.

yes people are judgemental how can you not be this man chose this life style it was not chosen for him ...hey sold drugs right up to his death so how can anyone say he was trying to change.

and just as this family is is tore apart because of this just think of all the familys that have been tore apart do to drugs.I know first handed what drugs can do to a family because even though my son is still walking the earth I lost a few years ago to drugs. so out of respect for me please dont try to this make this man out be a saint. is family are greiving but the media is not the bad guy here steve himself did this to his family and we the public have a right to voice our opinion either negitive or postive thats life and thats the way we all deal with the cards that have been dealt us. God give this family the strenght to deal with loss of son,brother,uncle and give them the strenght to deal with negivtive response there going to get because of what this man did to them no the media or people that have opinions. He did this to them not us we have all been given paths to follow IT Is our choice which path to take Stevie choose his path no his family is paying because of it ..

I am surprised that you would know Steve sold drugs right up until his death? Did you not read the news reports or listen to the news casts? He USED to sell drugs and was no longer involved in it. And who was making him out to be a saint? His past was well known to everyone. He was trying to change for the better, and especially for the benefit of his kids. There was a kind, generous person in that skin and I believe his family is trying to make this known...despite his past. I can only wonder how you would be reacting if this was your child? The one who is still alive but you lost him due to drugs? Would you not want the good parts of him remembered?

yes I have read the news reports and watched the news and everything I have seen and read states that RELATIVES have insisted in internet comments that he was turning his life around since being sentenced in 2001 the family are saying he was trying to change but there was no prove that was the case as far as the media is concerned he didnt hold a real job .. so that would leave one to think he was still selling. I dont know but if i was in his postion and was trying to change my ways the frist thing I would have done was to leave the area that was known for drug dealers He Could have had a better chance changing his life stlye coming back to cape breton. I am not trying to be mean I know this family are dealing with alot but think about it do you really think this Wall person just all of a sudden said oh I think I will shot steve seymore today for something to do. He was shot for a reason

and As far as how I would feel if it was my son .. I would greive the same way I would if he died of cancer as far as I know You dont get shot to death for taking drugs. my son is not a kingpin in the drug world he doesnt sell drugs to children he has a disease just like cancer or any other disease and the only person getting hurt by him is himself and me .. I would not have to defend him.

Mr seymore may have been trying to change his life style. But how does anyone forgive this "Seymour was also sentenced to a concurrent three-year term for firebombing the home of the 90-year-old grandmother of a Nova Scotia police officer in 2000."

how do you look pass that maybe I am wrong maybe he should have gotten citzen of to the year.

How does anyone know weather he took someone elses live somewhere along the years. If he would bomb a 90 year old womans home he could have taken a life.Get real

I am just wondering shannon simpkins what is "kingdom of heven" and a "hight school diploma" or "juged"and pretty sure no one is talkig about his family, but just saying it the way its is. with a pass like his its really hard to look passed that not even if the man became a priest.

This article doesnt say this man wanted to change or was change .. it says he wanted to start up THE FAMILY BUSINESS..

"Family drug ring wiped out with #6Tue, 02/19/2008 - 2:48am Vancouver's sixth homicide has been identified as the last member of a family crack cocaine business.Earl Seymour and three cousins used to run the crack in Vancouver's infamous Down Town East Side.Earl has been identified as the sixth homicide of the year and the sixth drug related killing of '08.Ken was killed in Glace Bay N.S. and his brother Don was wounded at the same incident.In a seemingly separate incident a 25 year old man,a bouncer from a down town club,was wounded at a mixed martial arts event on the Musqueam reserve at the gym there.Elders claimed no knowledge or permission was sought or given for the event.The Seymour's were busted for distribution and sentenced to six years in prison after pleading guilty in 2001.It would seem Earl wanted to start up the family business again and met with foul play as a result.I guess the days where anyone could set up in business are over and gone.Drugs in Vancouver are now very organized and turf is viciously fought over.Earl found out the hard way."

So before asking me if I read the news articles or listen to the news I am thinking you need to do so

I really can see how this family wouldnt want there GOOD name DRAGGED through the dirt after all its not every family that can be proud to have A pile of drug lords in it. That is big accomplishment every one in Cape Breton should be so proud that such fine citzens have been raised here. I know I grew up in the same neighborhood as Stevie and I wonder where my family went wrong why we didnt have such pillars of our society. A FAMILY of drug dealers. Yes I would be so upset if MY FAMILY'S GOOD NAME WAS BEING PULLED THROUGH THE DIRT

Again... not everyone in Stevie's family are drug dealers..He did choose the things he did...people do change and ALL of us have "those unmentionable members of our families".People choose to do sell themselves...hurt others to get drugs...so my guess is that if there's a market...someone is gonna shop at it. I am not saying that its ok. But come on..he wasn't the one forcing people to buy. Of his family members that I know...and I have known for upwards of 10 years, they are caring, understanding, NON DRUG addicts or sellers or pushers. They are law abiding citizens. Rue the day when someone in your family does something to bring your skeletons forefront... for the world to see. Deepest smypathy Trish..

oh my mistake .. ken and don just have the same I guess.. I figured since thier last names where seymore they where related pardon me

and I can honestly say I dont have those unmentionable members of our families

and no skeltons either there is nothing that I wouldnt tell the world myself I would not try to make one memeber of my family a saint if there did something bad then they pay the price just like everyone else hell I would be the first one to admit what there where or were not.

Like one of the news articles said It would seem Earl wanted to start up the family business again and met with foul play as a result.

That doesnt look like a man that was trying to change. Hell I may be wrong but I am just going by what I Read.

I have been reading your comments and I have no idea how people can say things like oh he may have sold drugs but he wasnt making people buy them. And if there is market people are going to shop. My god think about what your saying drugs kill. As Stevie has found out. And being a memember of organized drug ring. makes what he did even worst.Ok he was trying to change and thats great. And yes he did pay the time for what he did but throwing a bomb in a 90 year olds house and only getting 3 years for it doesnt seem near enough. Just like that poor soul payed for her grandsons actions, Steves poor family are paying for his.

Its called the circle of life what comes around goes around. Its sad but true

Hello Again.. first off..."what comes around goes around?"...what a laugh...such crap... maybe once in awhile... Or what? Maybe in another lifetime?...In my earier comment I said of the family I knew... I didn't know the drug dealers...or even Stevie...I am merely making a point that his family surely shouldn't have to have the remaining members...go through all the BS some of you seem be freely shoveling.

2 Cents WorthWhat about Wall? Like it was said in the beginning "its easy for people who did not know Steve to pass judgement, so it is better left for those who did know him to tell the stories which will be the truth"I am a friend!

We didnt do this family. Stevie and Wall did. And who ever else is involoved so called involoved in this "war" As for Wall I hope he gets whats coming to him. No one should take someone elses life. The family yes are good people and have had a real hard life and do not deserver to have to deal with this but they are the ones that keep saying that man was changed man a good man me myself and I would say alot others didnt see that part and I personally can't get passed the fact that he tryed to blow up a 90 year old grandmother house because a job her grandson had to do. Just like the seymore family shouldnt have to pay for stevies way of life or the way he made his living neither should have that poor old woman had to pay for the career her grandson had choose.No matter how much someone has changed through there live time your pass will always come back to kick you in the ass every time its to bad that it is this way but its the way of life. I hope the family does find the strength to get through this. All I am saying is to the family he may have been saint but to families that have been destroyed through drugs he is just someone that helped out on that. And yes no one twisted anyones arms to buy them but drug abuse is a disease when your hooked on them you can't just stop and steve and everyone else that is involved in trafficing are making a living A damn good living off people with a problem think about the families of people that have died of drug overdoses, think of the children that have to deal with there parents stoned out of there heads while they go with out because of drugs. these are things that drug dealers contribute to. Me personaly have nothing again Steve Seymore the Man but a hell of alot against Steve Seymore the drug dealer and from what I read I dont see where he was trying to change and even he was the damage was done.

Don't be sorry for having an opinion, I am not...nor should anyone else. Steve Seymore the drug dealer ...yes what an ass. To contribute to enabling people that society has dropped off at the curb to do drugs. It was the choice of the person to take drugs the first time. Peer pressure, wanting to be cool or for whatever the reason they took them in the first place.I am a recovering addict. So I know first hand what its like to be in some of these peoples shoes. I guess what I am trying to say is as a whole there is alot more that could be done to help those who want to get clean. But always keeping in mind that there are those who do not want help. Unless you can help them get the next fix. Its sad but true. It would be wonderful to have a world where these people don't exsist.. the dealers..the robbers the rapists..the murderers. But we all know that will never happen. They will always be around and law enforcement is doing thier best to control and clean up what they can. Other than nipping it in the bud. I think that it will always be ...as it always has been ... around.

your so right and its a shame that people have to die and families have to be destroyed but that is the point I wanted to make steve seymore the man may have been a great person god rest his soul but the drug dealer was an ass

Shame on you people for the comments you are making, but you know what those who knew him are just amused by ignorance. Yes Steve chose to live a lifestyle most of us do not agree with it, but you peoople are talking as if it were his lifestyle from the past that killed him. This is not the case. He was killed because he had helped someone 2 days prior to his killing. He broke up a fight between a man and a woman and 2 days later revenge was taken out on Steve. This non sense you say about his past catching up with him, well it did and thats why he went to jail, he did his crime and he did his time,but his murder was not the case of his past. Steve no matter what you people think or say was a good man actually he was an amzing man and to many of us he was our inspiration and our hero, so for you people to sit here and pass judgemnt is fine with us,because we knew the real Steve and you people with your ignorance can go shove it somewheres else.

WOW! I cant belive the nerve of you people, I have avoided this media hype till I was done saying my goodbyes to my beloved Uncle, but now Im ready for any thing that may be thrown out there, but I do have to say ITS ALL LIES!!!! Maybe my uncle did have a little bit of a ackward past and maybe he made a few mistakes, but for you people to sit there and asume bcause of his past he could not chnage is ridiculous!!!!!!!!!!!! ANyone can change if they want to, people make mistakes and poeople learn from them. You people talking this crap about my uncle are not any better then he was or is, and dont think for one second you are. If anything he was better then you people, because he passed judgemnet on no one and he sure as hell woudl not be sitting here judgeing any of you if it were you who were dead, and someday you know what it will be and I pray to god that your families dont go through what mine just has. How would you feel if people made someone you loved look like a mad man. Everything you read is non sense and fiction... all fiction nothing has actually been a fact up to date... a Fact is: my uncle changed his lifestyle, my uncle was a great man, a great brother, a great son, a AWSOME uncle and a AMAZING dad, he would do anything for anyone, he made mistakes, but he learned, and was just a very down to earth man. Also an important fact is that some ruthless coward took my uncle's life. and you people saying what goes around comes around...does that mean Mr. Wall is gonna get whats coming to him?. You people may continue to pass your judgement by all means fill your boots, because Im his family and I KNOW BETTER, I KNOW THE TRUTH! All you people are doing is hurting my family and guess what that makes you worse then my uncle could have ever been!!! My family will heal, and we will go on, we're moving forward for Stevie, you people aint stopping us, you may piss us off but its far from stopping us. No matter what is said my uncle is and always will be My inspiration as well as many others. I could sit here all day and try to change peoples minds about my uncle, but ya know what, if yas are that quick to pass judgement then you are not worth mine or his time. For those who think Mr. Wall had a good shot, Im sorry you feel that way, but I pray to god the devil has a nice hot place for you down there right next to Mr. Wall. As well as those who wanna bring a whole family down because of one mans past mistakes. A family is a family through out the good and the bad. We love all our family members no matter what and we always will, we may not always agree but we do always love. In fact I wouldnt change my family for all the money in the world, You wouldn't throw out a bag of apples bcause one was bruised now would ya?.For those who say were proud of having a king pin as a family member, not true were proud we had Stevie as we know him, as our family.Uncle Stevie, I love you and Miss you, and am sorry these people were not blessed to know you, and Im sorry they only here the negative and not the positive, but like I have come to find out, you do one bad thing and get remembered forever, and you do a million great things and that dont count. We made it through your funeral and we can make it through this life, because we know your up waiting for us. I love you Uncle Stevie and Miss you, xoxo

P.S. Caperatheart you have alot to say, infact I find you quite cocky, but I know for a fact you got some skeletons in your closet, and your a fool to think your nay better then us!!!!but Im not judging you, My uncle tought me better!

Oh my dear you read that wrong I said that I had no skeltons because I wouldnt try to hide whats in my closet or make anyone look like there something there not. And I dont think I am better then anyone I know I am not. I am no better or no worst then anyone else. And yes its easy for me to sit and judge Steve because the steve I knew was just a kid when left so no I didnt know him as a man. and I am not judging your family either. I have a son hooked on drugs and another family member. so its really hard for me to be understanding or caring when it comes to anyone that provide drugs to addicts see like I said I will not hide my family I have no problem saying my son is a addict. And even though he right now is trying to change and trying to come off no matter how proud I will be I will never forget what we were put through because of it. You people do Not deserve this I know that but we all have opionions and entitled to them if that makes me cocky then so be it. cocky it is.

!!caperheart!!We all know what past life Steve had ,should you and all those people writing the things you are in regards to the drugs and past life ,this is not what took him away from us ,say and think what you may ,yes your entitled to your opinion,but your not the investigating officers ,and you don't what know what we do ,I will say that it was like my brother to come to the defense of a woman ,just like he did in Glace Bay a few years ago ,when he found out about a group of people that ended up in the drivway of an older woman in New Aberdeen late at night because of her son's shananigans,and he came to the defense of that person ,so we as Steve 's family know what happened according to the law ,and thats what matters.We all know peole thrive on gossip , but the truth its a different story ,from the start ,we knew why this happened ,but you all are ready to to claim it was the drug thing ,we know he was no angel and who is in glace bay ,geez you got lawyers down there for christ sake ,running it ,you got people right in new aberdeen next door to you , they cannot blame that on him ,it was htere before he did ,and its still there after he is gone ,so do us a favor ,get all the help for your kid while you can ,be there to support him no matter what , and don't go blaming steve for this ,cause its still there and your son has a mind ,he knoew right from wrong as my brother did

I never did say that steve was the only person. That was selling or dealing drugs. I know there is alot of people out there doing it. And it is a shame that life has to be this way. And yes people like to gossip and say bad things way before they say the good things about people but you all had to know this would happen because no matter how good a person becomes or what they do in there lives there pass will follow them right to the grave. And I could be wrong about steve and more then likely I am but like said I didnt know him as a man he was kid when left #2 I am just going by what I have read or seen on the news. As for my son I honestly dont think that a 12 year old really would know right from wrong. He is older now and does know right from wrong and is trying to get the help the he needs but that doesnt change the fact that his pass ripped a family apart and whole lot more. I will love him and help him in everyway I can but I will never forget. And if he was dead I would not be praising just his good parts of life and would not make him out to be some kind of saint because he changed because his pass will follow him just like steves followed him so dont make me out to be some evil person cause I am not. I am just someone that can't feel sorry for drug dealers either in the pass or present.maybe this will whole thing will help the other memebers of you family that had there hand in selling/dealing drugs.

!!caperatheart!!You know what I don't understand ,that with all the drugs in that town ,why people are not taking a stand ,stand tall unite ,and take your neighborhood back ,its easy to sit at a computor ,and vent your anger /opinions , do something about it.Start your own figt and build on it ,we don't say what Steve did was right ,but we also know he did good .If you got this much opinion on your computor ,why not put it to use ,and start your fight build on it ,get support from those that feel the way you do .You know as well as I do that the drugs were there before Steve ,Donny or Kenny,and they are still there afterwards ,who was supplying while my brother was in jail ,and Donny/ Kenny. Why not take your energy and do something with it .Lucky for you ,that you still have your son around ,and I hope you don't have to endure what we did ,I will say we found out who are friends were ,the support from them was tremoundous ,and let me tell you ,it was not those that ran with my brother . I know of 2 people that took a stand and came out in the open about the drugs there in Glace Bay ,and kudos to them ,they took some slack for it ,but they stood united , and continued , so my suggestion to you is ,put pen to paper ,and get out there and do something for the community if you have the courage and fight in.My project is with "justicefordustin.ca.So take your knowledge ,frustration and anger ,and put it to good use ,the police cannot be everywhere , so help them ,help you and the other parents that are fretting over this .Its your town ,your community , do something with it .Caperatheart ,this is my last comment to you ,maybe someday i will read about your project ,should you take it on, good luck

I would like to Say I am really sorry for some of the comments I have made on this blog.

I guess when drugs affect a family the way have mine It gets hard after awhile to see pass the bad things that people have did because of them. And when I heard of Steves Death I guess all I was thinking was good another drug dealer off the streets. for this I am very sorry I never took to into considerations that yes steve is gone but he leaves behind a family and from the family memembers that knew growing up and remember good people who had a hard live but pulled up above there childhood and became great adults .. Dolly I could use this energry to fight if I was not so sick myself but I just dont have the energy or the fight left in me. But hopefully there will be people that do take the fight and run with it dont think its ever going to get to better. From what I hear about glace bay now its way out of hand.

So again I am truly sorry for what I have said.

My god bless you all and help you through this because its not going to go away the one thing I said that I will stand behind is your pass will follow you forever. I know this first handed.

!!Caperatheart!!Your apology is accepted , because thats the type of person I am ,but you did not need to do so ,yes your past will catch up ,we don't deny that ,but there is nothing else that anyone can say or do ,to hurt us anymore than we have been ,my brothers life was his ,and we have had to suffer the consequences that followed ,and we did and got through , and while he tried to turn his life around we supported it ,we did not turn our back on him,we can accept that .I truly hope things work out for your son , and you .Sometimes its people like you that can make a difference in this world .As for the person in here called anonymous , the word speaks for it self you cannot say or do anything more than whats been done to us ,that could hurt us anymore .

Dolly I did have do so. Because that is the kind of person I am. If I am wrong I will admitted it. And it is really to bad that we all have to pay for what our family do or did. another fact of live. My son will be ok he has removed him self from the so called friends that he hung with and is trying to help himself which is really what it all comes down to you have want to help yourself before anyone else can. like I said before my family will never get over what we have been through. but like you guys we will have to move on and just try. you take care of yourself and your family I wish you all the best

It is the highest form of self-respect to admit ones errors and mistakes and make amends for them. To make a mistake is only an error in judgement, but to adhere to it when it is discovered shows infirmity of character. We are all capable of mistakes. Some of us don’t recognize the mistakes we have made; others do and will pretend to be oblivious to the fact that they have made one. It is beyond cowardly for people to judge Stevie. It must make you feel really good about yourself to sit at your computer and post negative comments and false information about a deceased man. Your opinions are not based on any credible or feasible evidence. If you are going to bash a loving man you should at least have something to back up your opinion. I know Stevie made mistakes. He would be the first person to admit it and I am not going to try to defend his shady past. However, he was not involved with drugs in years and his death is not a result of drugs or his shady past.

It is quite apparent that the media is more biassed than anything or anybody else that exists in this world. The media chooses what to cover, they choose what to say (not based on any feasible information), they choose how long the story/clip will be, they choose the placement of the story/clip. They do this all to make money. When was the last time you have seen anything really positive on the front page of a news paper? My guess is not latley. That is because good news does not sell. Journalists and reporters are going to publish what they think will sell. If feeding people lies will sell a story then that is what they will do. It is by no means credible; therefore, your opinions are not credible. I really have no use for them, nor should anyone else. Words hurt; but when they are based on a bunch of BS they mean nothing. You can occupy yourself by trying to bring other people down, but I seriously think that you are wasting you time. It is never going to happen. The people that were close to Stevie know the truth. That is all that matters. Just remember: “For as you judge, you will be judged, and the measure for which you measure, will be measured out to you”.

I was an aquiantence of Matthew Walls sometime long ago in the past. First of all, im sorry for the death of Earl. And hope that his family is doing fine and dealing with healing even though they are surrounded by all this negative media and personal opinions. There is not alot of talk about Matthew, but when i think of this tragic incendent fired by greed and anger i think about matt.To Earls family, i hope that you have only good thoughts, memorys and knowledge on your family member that has passed. Im familiar with the drug world, and some of the rules and codes criminals share with other criminals. You have to know, that the Earl you know is not the side of Earl you would see sitting in a building collecting hundreds of thousands of dollars from young men like Matt, who devoted their lives to selling crack/cocain to the sadest of the sad downtown eastside. Maybe Earl had opinionated his desire to change to just his family, but i doubt he voiced his opinion to his fellow drug salesmen and organizers. Earl did run alot of the downtown eastside at one point, and was the head honcho down there. Even though people think he was trying to change, his death and the possible reasoning behind it, clearly states differently. I think Earls tragic and ruthless death was due to him thinking that he was able to keep going where he left off before his charges and jail time. Matt was just another sorry soul who had come accustome and only new the drug world. Earl had many enemys like Matt, who also did not think it fair for Earl to step back in power where he left off. As other stupid young men try and try and hope to gain what earl did by selling drugs. If Earl was killed in a clearly gang-related shooting, he was either involved or trying to be. I think people who had "worked hard" to obtain Earls lavish lifestyle gained by the handout of hard drugs, were upset that their chances would be gone if he decided to come back, expect respect and the same power he had had before. That would take away all their chances. And for a fact, to be in a position of power like Earl, gaurunteed he has a closet full of skeletons. I doubt any drug lord with the same respect Earl had, does not have a very large list of bodies theyve burried. For many grown men to oblidge by his word, and have respected and feared him, he had to have shown alot of physical violence to others, if they did not oblidge to him. Its reality in the drug world. Im sorry if my opinion and comments hurt his family. I hope they never had to know this side of Earl, and hopefully he was able to seperate his home life and his drug world. The family deserves to only remember the good, but theres the sad fact that Earl has garunteed hurt more people than a small time drug dealer like Matthew Wall. And although you deserve your privacy and would rather not see all this, Earl was also a very bad man, wether he brought that personality or pressence home. I hope that justice is served, because in my opinion, once you fall deep into the drug world like the downtown eastside, you can never go back. You carry the criminal code, and knowledge for life. Although i never had a problem with Matthew years ago when i knew him, i feel that he deserves to stay in jail for ever if need be. Its too bad Earl never had the chance to change, but maybe those statements he gave to his family, were statements of comfert. Whether he had the intent to quite or start right back up there where he left off. This incendent saddens me on the whole part, it saddens me that the world is like this and therlle always be incidents like this due to people like Matthew and Earl living this lifestyle.Matthews court is in session as of this month, and i wish everone justice and i hope whatever the sentence, it will prevent events like this happening again.

i met this guy. he was a rat douche bag drug dealer. he went back down to victory sq to set up shop again.u got a prob with a cop then deal with it, not firebomb his grandmothers spot. and if the fam is so proud and are convinced he was turning his life around why wernt they there to make sure he steared clear of all that. nobody goes down to victory sq unless u involved in the drug trade. u wanna play tuff guy to the lil dboys down there sombody gonna buck back, witch he so found out.